My Experience With Typhoon Hagibis
I first moved to Japan in August 2019. Japan's typhoon season begins in May and lasts until October. I'm from Miami Florida, so naturally, I was not afraid of a typhoon. Florida gets hit with a hurricane yearly, so I believed I was prepared anything that could happen.
In October 2019, Japan was hit by super typhoon Hagibis. I received emergency alerts on my phone to evacuate the area, however the typhoon had already reached my location, so I decided it would be a better idea to stay home. My friends and I were staying together that night and I tried to reassure them that this wouldn't be a big deal. After all, I've experienced hurricanes my whole life and the worse that has ever happened was the power went out.
However, we realized that the river nearby had overflowed onto the street and the water level was rising steadily. I quickly moved all of my belongings to my bed in case the water started entering. Not long after, the house began to flood and we realized we couldn't stay much longer.
So, we evacuated the house to reach the nearby shelter. Imagine leaving your home at 10pm, on a cold October night, trudging through waste deep water, in the middle of a typhoon! I had never been through something like that, and I hope I never have to go through that again. Luckily we were safe, the only casualty was my sandals that got carried away by the strong current we were walking through. However, that is the last time I ever take a natural disaster lightly.
When I arrived at my home the next day, the water had emptied from my house. However, the mess that was left was disheartening. I had just moved to Japan, I had only recently settled into my home, and in one night the room was filled with mud and much of the furniture had been ruined. My friends and I worked together to help recover our rooms, but not long after we realized that they were filling with mold. The apartment complex decided to evacuate the residents because they determined that the homes were no longer safe to live in. We were then relocated to another apartment more central to the city, and this time we were placed on the second floor. I don't expect to experience anything like this again, but now I know, when in doubt, evacuate.
Other Disasters in Miyagi
In 2011, Japan made headlines around the world after the "Great East Japan Earthquake". The Earthquake had a magnitude of 9.0 on the Richter scale. This earthquake was considered one of the strongest ever recorded. It happened off the coast of northeastern Japan, and a series of destructive tsunamis followed the initial shock.
The tsunamis hit coastlines in Miyagi, Iwate, Chiba, Ibaraki and Fukushima. In some places the tsunami reached 33feet in height. Within Miyagi, the places affected were Sendai, Ishinomaki, Kesennuma, and Shiogama.
Within weeks of the disaster, the death toll had reached 10,000 and more than half that number were still missing and presumed dead. This earthquake and tsunami is considered one of the deadliest in Japanese history.
Ultimately, the official total of those proclaimed dead or assumed missing reached 18,500, and other estimates reached 20,000. Miyagi prefecture suffered the greatest loss, with 10,800 killed or missing and another 4,100 injured. Although most of the damage was caused by the tsunami, the initial earthquake caused a considerable amount of damage as well. Fires occurred across cities such as Sendai, electrical lines went down, water and sewage systems were disrupted, and a dam burst in Fukushima.
Ishinomaki
In Ishinomaki, the death toll reached 3,097, with 2,770 people unaccounted for. Around 29,000 city residents lost their homes. The city erected a shrine to commemorate the lives of those lost during the tsunami. They also created a community info center where visitors can learn about the damage caused by the disaster and what the city is currently doing to grow and strengthen the community.
Kesennuma
In this city, 1,152 people were lost to the earthquake and subsequent fires and tsunami, and another 214 people still missing. The city has grown and improved their infrastructure and barriers since the incident. The small coastal city that was once destroyed by this disaster, has bounced back considerably. One of the most notable commemorations to the lives lost in the disaster is the "Ruins of the Great East Japan Earthquake Kesennuma City Memorial Museum". This museum serves as a visible reminder of the lessons learned during this disaster.
Reflection
Although I do not live in the cities affected by the tsunami, I always have to be aware about how I approach the topic of natural disasters and death in class. Many of my students lost family and friends in the disaster. Other students had to flee their homes because it had been destroyed. In some assignments, students will be asked to draw and describe their family. Some of my students have drawn their one of their parents or grandparents with halos over their head to signify that they had passed away. It is important to realize and understand the trauma many of these children lived through, and I try to keep in mind how that may be affecting their life at home. I remember to be patient with kids who misbehave because I know they might still be mentally recovering from the affects of the disaster.
I live in Japan, but I will never know the trauma that many Japanese people have experienced. A nation that relies heavily on costal towns and cities, but is vulnerable to tsunamis is an unfortunate circumstance.
Still, having visited the cities affected by the disaster and seeing their memorials have shown me just how much progress has been made since then. These cities have risen from the ashes and rebuilt themselves to be stronger and more prosperous than they were before. There is no returning the lives lost in the disaster of 2011, but they are trying to their best to ensure that the lives lost in the next one will be zero.
Japan is country that has managed and adapted to their changing environment. Although we cannot control natural disasters, we can mitigate the damages and effects. I feel humbled to have been able to learn about this countries challenges and efforts to protect its citizens.
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